Mutabilis

Where to plant. As a solitary 'focal shrub' (the metamorphosis makes it the central star); for Mediterranean-style corners; in large pots on sunny southern terraces; for permanent borders with repeat flowering (unlike gallicas); as a hedge in warm climates (up to 3 m high).

Climate. USDA 7b–10b. In central and northern Ukraine it needs protection, or overwintering in a container (for example in a cellar). In Crimea, Zakarpattia and the Odesa region, no protection is needed.

Care. Minimal; one of the most resilient roses (Earth-Kind programme); light formative pruning by 1/3 in spring; full sun for a bright metamorphosis. In a cold climate, grow it in a large container.

Name. 🇮🇹 'Tipo Ideale' ('Ideal Type'), the original name from the Borromeo family, who grew it in the Isola Bella gardens on Lake Maggiore, where local gardeners knew it as the 'ideal rose'. The Latin 'mutabilis' means 'changeable', pointing to the unique colour change of the flower over its life. The nickname 'Butterfly Rose' comes from the flowers of every stage on the bush looking like a flock of butterflies.

Breeding. It comes from China; the exact originator is unknown; it is an old Chinese line of China-roses. In 1894 Prince Gilberto Borromeo gave a cutting to the Swiss botanist Henri Correvon (Geneva), who officially introduced it to European commerce in 1934. It had been grown in the Borromeo gardens since the XVIII century. The dates are often confused: 1894 is the year of the cutting, 1934 the year of the official commercial introduction.

Significance. WFRS Old Rose Hall of Fame 2012. RHS Award of Garden Merit. Earth-Kind Rose (Texas A&M): among the least demanding roses, needing no chemicals. It is unique among all roses: it is the only one with a 'butterfly' effect of colour change from yellow to crimson on one bush. It is a symbol of the Chinese heritage in European gardening, a reminder that many modern roses owe their colours and repeat flowering to the China-family.